as the clock ticks down to the new year, almost every single american is facing the prospect of the fiscal cliff. if we do that act by the end of the year, 28 million families and individuals will be forced to pay the alternative minimum tax. the average middle-class family will see their taxes go up by at least $2,000. economically, if we do not act our nation will fall into it and other painful recession pushing unemployment back up over 9% and putting seniors retirements at risk. the president said he once a so- called balanced approach to solve this crisis. what he proposed this week was a classic bait and switch on the american people. a tax increase double the size of what he campaigned on. maybe i missed it, but i do not recall him asking for any of that during the presidential campaign. these ideas are so radical, they have already been rejected on a bipartisan basis from congress. the president has an obligation to steer us away from the fiscal cliff and to tackle our $16 trillion debt that is driven by runaway entitlement programs. we have seen an utter lack of leadership from pr